Wan Hai returning to the Red Sea

Taiwan’s Wan Hai Lines is making a return the Red Sea after a nine-year absence. The carrier has entered into an agreement with THE Alliance members – Hapag-Lloyd, ONE and Yang Ming – to launch a new direct service called AR1 between East Asia and the Red Sea in April.

The seven-week service will deploy seven 4,800 teu ships with Wan Hai supplying one of the seven.

Wan Hai is predominantly an intra-Asia carrier. Its last foray to the Red Sea lasted less than two years and closed in early 2009.

Starting out with the Informa Group in 2000 in Hong Kong, Sam Chambers became editor of Maritime Asia magazine as well as East Asia Editor for the world’s oldest newspaper, Lloyd’s List. In 2005 he pursued a freelance career and wrote for a variety of titles including taking on the role of Asia Editor at Seatrade magazine and China correspondent for Supply Chain Asia. His work has also appeared in The Economist, The New York Times, The Sunday Times and The International Herald Tribune.